CHARLOTTE — Caleb Parr is far from home, having signed with Queen’s University of Charlotte to play basketball after two successful seasons with Northeast Mississippi Community College, but his impact is still being felt. Parr was announced as a recipient of the Tiger Award earlier this week, given annually to one standout player from each of the NEMCC’s athletic teams.
“It’s a blessing,” Parr said of the honor. “I’m glad I got the opportunity to showcase my talent there. It was really good to be there and keep my grades high. I’m glad I was able to make the most of it.”
The former Scorebook Live 2022 Mississippi Player of the Year joined the Tigers after a stellar high school career with the Trojans in which he scored more than 1000 points. He started both years in Booneville, helping NEMCC win two Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference championships.
Parr made the move to Charlotte this summer to prepare for the 2024-25 season but says he’ll remember his time in Booneville fondly. The two years spent there helped him expand his game and earn a scholarship to continue playing the game he loves.
“I had a good relationship with my coaches there,” he told The Dispatch. “I’m still in contact with them at Northeast and even at New Hope now. It keeps going on and off the court.”
The Tigers men’s basketball program has been a dominant force in Mississippi for years.
“That was the biggest reason for me,” Parr continued, “but another factor was it wasn’t too far from home. It just seemed like a good environment for me, on and off the court, and there were counselors and teachers who made it an easy decision for me.”
For both his decision to attend NEMCC and his decision to join the Queen’s Royals, Parr valued the relationships as much as the opportunity to play.
“Really, they showed the most interest in me,” Parr said. “Coaches came to three of my games and then the practice before my last game. They showed the love and support and to me, it was a no-brainer at that point.”
From the start of his playing journey, Parr has been all about making the most of his opportunities. He recognized his talent, but he knew without the right environment and the right direction he might not capitalize on it. His goal is to continue to grow both as a student and an athlete, and he sees this next step as another way to further his development.
“It’s three things,” he said of what has brought him this far. “For one, God blessed me with talent and gave me a chance. Two was me working at it consistently, and three was the people around me. My mom, my dad, Coach Terrell, my trainers in Georgia, it really just boiled down to all those things.”
Parr’s work ethic has helped him stay focused through changes in his career, and now it’s helping him find his place in a new team once again at Queen’s.
“There’s always room to improve,” he said. “Right now it’s about learning a new system, and once I get that down I’ll be able to build on everything else. I think I’m in a good place, but I need to learn everything about how I fit into the offense and then I’ll go from there.”
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